Can anyone give me some suggestions for an inflamed scalp due to the psoriasis? I’ve tried numerous shampoos & nothing is working. I’m about to claw my hair out bc it itches so bad. I
I never use a shampoo or soap but wash with sorbolene only. I have Novasone lotion prescribed for my scalp and it works well.
Ok thank you. I will look into these options.
I personally use suave because none of the otc stuff worked for me and then i blow dry my hair and this seems to help me for at least a day, since starting the humira the scalp itching has gone down tremendously but the blow dryer was my god send!
When I cannot absolutely cannot handle the itching anymore, I go get a perm. I dont know what it is about the perm solution but it sure deadens the itch for a while. I know this sounds drastic, but it works for me. I also have a great beautician who is careful about not getting the solution in the open sores. Good Luck!!
I use neutrogena t gel extra strength. Blow drying is helpful too
I have always found Denorex helpful. Be sure to get the one with coal tar in it. I think it's marketed as Denorex Therapeutic Protection now. It smells like a pine tree, but it does help. There is another Denorex product that has salicylic acid as the active ingredient and I do not think it is very helpful. It's also harder on hair IMHO. Pretty much anything with coal tar will help, but when I was using these shampoos, Denorex had the highest coal tar percentage. Neutrogena T-Gel is another. There probably are others now, too. These should be available in grocery stores and drug stores, Wal-Mart. Just read the labels and look for the highest percentage of coal tar. Derma told me to use it every day until I got it under control. Coal tar is an old, cheap, tried and true treatment for scalp psoriasis. There may be more modern stuff out there by now, but this is so convenient, it's what I always go for. While I was getting things under control (it may take a few shampoos), I would put a non-greasy topical steroid directly on lesions. You want a cream for this; not an ointment! Just pull your hair out of the way. They absorb well, even on the scalp and will not make your hair icky if you let it dry for a minute or two before combing. DON'T USE A SHOWER CAP WITH TOPICAL STEROIDS!
T-Gel also makes a night treatment that you leave on while you sleep. Drawbacks are that it is hard to find and it can stain your sheets.
As bizarre as it might sound, you can actually put olive oil on your scalp overnight and sleep in a shower cap to loosen the scales. It will wash out nicely in the a.m. Many people swear that perms (as springmoose suggested) and professional hair color help, but I've never tried them. If you can get in the sun, that will help, too. I've had psoriasis that covered the back of my head and climbed onto my ears. I cried for a month before I found something that worked. I know how miserable it is. Hope this helps!
Keep us posted on you progress. We would all like to know what is working these days!
My Dr. prescribed Hydroxyzine ( similar to Benidryl) for the itch, and it really helps. I also use virgin coconut oil for my hair and scalp.
I used to use a prescription liquid called Temovate. I would put it on my scalp at night and it really helped a lot. Once I started taking MTX though, it pretty much disappeared altogether. There is a generic form of it as well so it isn’t too expensive. I still use Pert dandruff shampoo because it has a conditioner built in and I haven’t had any itching in over a year now.
I use Taclonex gel and it works...right now they have a 0 copay card that your dermatologist could give you.
Hi Andrea
I have to use Clobetasol foam every night. It comes in a canister but I have psoriasis all over my scalp and one presciption of clobetasol foam doesn't last a whole month. I asked my doctor if I could get a prescription for 2 cans, since then my scalp cleared up better than it has been for 3 years. I scratched my scalp so much I lost a lot of hair but now it's starting to come back slowly.
I've tried Tea tree shampoo and Selsun Blue before I was diagnosed, those didn't seem to help at all. My doctor gave me a prescription of Dovobet but I haven't used it regularly since it's hard to get onto the scalp and usually ends up in my hair. The Dovobet is greasy as well.
I've tried T-Gel with %1 coal tar but my wife can't take the smell so I've only used it a couple of times. My scalp is extremely itchy and leaves my shirts covered in flakes. I would like to know if there's something that will take the itch away an not smell so bad.
I replied to this discussion earlier saying I have had Novasone Lotion prescribed and that it is very effective if used regularly. Being a non greasy lotion it is easy to use and only needs a very small drop on the inflammed area. It contains Mometasone Furoate. T-Gel, selsun blue aggravated rather than helped.
Ok thank you all. I take methotrexate (10 pills once a week). It however does not help my scalp. It helps my skin & my arthritis but I have had a very difficult time helping my scalp. It seems really bad right at my ears and at the back of my head to my hairline. Usually the sun does seem to help but so far his year has not. So I’m still trying different things to figure out what is going to work for me. Keep suggestions coming, I am trying anything & everything. Thank you all again.
Tanning bed helps me with all my psoriasis. I get it in my scalp and ears. I’ve been doing it for years. As soon as I stop the psoriasis comes back-i start going and it slowly disappears. Never completely on my scalp. But almost. And every where else-its gone.
I used to use Diprolene liquid (prescription) but it has all disappeared onced I started taking Methotrexate.